The Bishop and the Butterfly: Murder, Politics, and the End of the Jazz Age

    Cain's 999 plan vs. Perry's "drill baby drill"

    Rick Perry has just unveiled his "drill baby drill" plan, a plan to bring dirty oil to ourselves and perhaps have enough left over to sell to the the rest of the world. Perry wants to "Make what we make" , "Buy what we make" and "Sell what we make" to the rest of the world. Perhaps instead of "drill baby drill" Perry's plan could be described as the "Make, Make, Make" plan. or "Make, Buy and Sell" plan. In any event Perry's makeover has him positioned aside a simplistic plan well suited to his experience running an energy state and his inexperience in just about everything else. And Perry's plan is positioned just opposite Cain's 999 plan. Of course, neither of their plans is ever going to be implemented. The plans are a ruse for getting one or the other of these candidates through the primaries.

    Howard Dean commented that the buzz surrounding Cain's 999 plan would give Perry some cover and time to regroup. I think it is possible for Perry to recover by using a simplified "plan" approach like Cain, particularly because of: a weak field of candidates, a fractured Republican party, and an ideologically driven base whose main focus is to remove Obama at any cost. Perry's plan is a comeback vehicle. But both of these candidates' plans are mostly advertising "sizzle". The selling of attitude and ideology is what's going on underneath the plans--at least what's being aimed at the non-moderate, non Eastern establishment wing. In can be noted here that both Perry and Cain have made statements unacceptable to the right wing base--most recently Cain in his endorsement of Alan Greenspan. 

    Cain obviously surged to the forefront at the expense of Perry. The right wing wants someone not only to thrash Obama, but to stop the moderate, Eastern Romney. It is my opinion  that the Republican right wing reconstituted itself as the "tea party" as a reaction not only to Obama's election but in anger that George Bush had trashed the Republican brand. The tea folks are determined not only to defeat Obama but to prevent any moderation in the party. Romney is a double threat, his Mormonism being one, and his ties to the more moderate Eastern establishment wing of the party being the other.

    What has interested me thus far about Cain and his viability is the split in reactions among the elements of the Republican machine. A number of conservatives have excoriated Cain's 999 plan. So also has Tax man himself, Grover Norquist. But on the other hand some of the big guns--Rush Limbaugh, Fox News and Wall St. Journal seem to be holding, or at least limiting, their fire. Fox News just featured no less than supply side promoter Laffler praising Cain's plan--this is a way to broaden the tax base and lower the rate--standard clap trap. Limbaugh gave Cain a real pass on 999. Previously, Limbaugh showed no hesitation in shutting Cain up after he criticized Perry on his "insensitive" remark.

    The above suggests to me a kind of holding pattern by some of the big guns that is not inconsistent with Howard Dean's premise that Perry is being given a chance to turn his candidacy around. The so called main stream media is already critiquing the 999 plan, comparing it to Sim City and giving a platform to the geeky originator, from a bank in Ohio, who compared the plan's simplicity to predicting the outcome of dropping a bowling ball. The entire plan, given the right spin, can be viciously caricatured--not in the least by Fox and Limbaugh.  

    Haley Barbour, who is supposedly bundling for Perry, said his wife is supporting Cain (that's a good dodge) and that Cain could sweep the South. Well, that is--until he, the Koch Bros, Limbaugh and the News Corp. have a better idea of which way to play this. Which, in my opinion, depends upon whether Perry can rekindle himself with his own Cain-like simplistic plan and a vastly improved debate performance. Apparently, they don't have Klieg lights in Texas, or Perry has some other squinting-eye issue.

    In the total context of the debates Romney has as big an objective to chip away at Cain and the 999 plan as Perry does. Both Romney and Perry have to be careful how they attack Cain. Cain's great personal strengths are his affability and unflappable style and a certain appeal in his jaunty mannerisms. I think the real take down of Cain, if and when it becomes necessary, is more likely to happen in the corporate media, although it may or may not work as right wing voters seem to be launching out on their own instincts--well, they are in disarray, not really liking this total field and being swamped in their own extreme hatred of Obama.

    So I think Perry is being given a second chance. And aside from the incredibly air tight logic above I confess that my entire post is colored by the fact that I don't see how in hell a pizza company executive with a plan lifted from a video game can rise to the top of a national primary. Or go on to win a national election. And I don't see how our planet could be struck by a meteor the size of a pizza parlor--but that is also mathematically possible.

     

    Update. Clarus Research released a poll yesterday of the Louisiana Republican Primary showing Perry up by 2 over Cain, with Romney trailing. Don't know the cred of Clarus but it's perhaps a start for Perry and viruses can spread. What is probably just as telling is how a three way split helps keep Romney alive.  

     

     

    Comments

    Someone pointed out that adding 9% to 5-9% state and local sales taxes, causing sales tax to reach to the +15% range would create an enormous underground cash economy. It would also require a new federal bureaucracy of sales tax enforcement if it were to ever work, which, even if it did, would reduce federal revenue, reduce taxes on the rich, and enormously increase taxes on the poor and middle class, who spend all or most of their income. It is a huge step in the familiar GOP direction of cutting taxes on the rich and screwing the poor and middle class.


    It is a huge step in the familiar GOP direction of cutting taxes on the rich and screwing the poor and middle class.

    I'm sure that's just an accident, and that if someone just pointed this out to Cain, he'd change his mind on the advisability of it...


    I think Cain is as surprised as anyone else that he and his plan got this far. He seems to be playing it day by day. 

    Maybe he was the Manchurian candidate thrown into the mix ahead of time for the very possibility that materialized with Perry's collapse, waiting upon instructions by Limbaugh and others. But then again, sounds too conspiratorial.

     


    The NYT has one of their debates on 9-9-9 and apparently the last 9 is a VAT (value added) type tax, to add the the first 9 sales tax, so the unwashed non-uber rich would be saddled with local sales taxes and then an 18% federal sales tax, reaching into the 25% range on every dollar of income they spend, which is often 100% of their total income which will be taxed also at 9%.

    So, unless you inherit millions, Cain eliminates the inheritance tax, or unless you trade on Wall Street, sell a pro sports team or company for a profit,  or make any capital gains regularly (no tax on capital gains), the Cain tax bill, with state taxes, could, for the poor and middle class, rise to 30-40% of income, with no deductions apparently allowed for children, age, disability, medical expenses etc.


    The 9% sales tax is preposterous. What is probably not planned but what is convenient for Republicans for the moment is that the 9% ties into the du jour Republican criticism that 50% pay no income tax now--the apparent answer to Democrats plan to raise taxes on the rich. Well, now they won't get off scott free.

    Of course what's not included in "taxes" is all the payroll taxes, property taxes (including indirectly through their rent payments), and local sales taxes and fees being paid by the poor and the rank and file middle class. In fact, it is precisely these local taxes which support the communities which in turn support the businesses who have at their disposal necessary services, roads and an educated work force.

    It really annoys me that Democrats typically don't pivot to local taxes, etc. when confronted with this 50% pay no taxes bull crap.


    Grover Norquist is using the analogy of giving the Federal Government a new needle in the arm to suck blood from, and such. No guarantee it wouldn't be like a VAT, easily raised by politicians.

    I agree with the notion that it would seriously impact the retail distribution of goods and incentivize people to go around the system--as if the underground economy isn't huge already. As for the rich, I think it would be a great incentive for them to travel and spend money overseas.

    Whoever the fraudster behind this plan is other than Cain, the objective is probably to chip away at resistance to a flat tax, etc.


    Rep. Ryan (R-WI) could scoff more bottles of $350 French wine as his well heeled Republican lobbyist friends would have more dough to blow on easily bought guys like him.


    Right, It would seem to be a lobbyists dream come true. What I think is also insidious and dangerous about something like the Cain plan is that it may be a beach head of some kind. The Republicans are very good at the "long con". They have a very long time horizon. Just look at the way they have whittled away at women's health, NPR, Dodd & Frank. Even though it may seem inconsequential at the time it begins to build a base.Some people will continue to  believe it and it forms part of their total consciousness about society.


    I am for a 9 approach!

    How about a 9% tax on all transfers of stock! That would include shares sold on the market; shares sold in the form of bonuses and shares used as collateral on loans.

    I think this would PAY FOR EVERYTHING. hahahahahah


    I like that idea. Probably ninety cents a trade would pay down the deficit. Or a 9% solution up Joe the Plumbers rear end might solve political gridlock. (just sounded like a good idea).

     


    It's a conversation starter though

    - 9% income tax,
    - 9% national sales tax, and
    - 9% corporate income tax

    9 + 9 + 9 = 27

    0 + 0 + 27 = 27


    Or a 99% tax on the top 1%.

    Or a 1% tax on the bottom 99%

    The 9% plan was pulled out of the air, there's absolutely no research on it.

     


    A   +   B   + C  = D

    0% + 0% + C  = D


    Can Herman Cain's 999 Plan Work?

     

    9% Growth Projection      
    Personal Income $14,887,013,217 0.09 $1,339,831,190
    Corporate before Tax Income 3564300000 0.09 $320,787,000
    Gross Consumer Purchases 4990020000 0.09 $449,101,800
          $2,109,719,990

    http://axdwhiteman.info/index.php/component/content/article/102-can-herman-cains-999-plan-work


    In a Clarus Research poll released yesterday Perry, Cain and Romney line up 23,21, and 17 respectively. Perry got more tea partiers than Cain.

    Doth Perriwinkle's southern comfort indicate intoxication  which could spread to Iowa, S.C., etc?

    And how about the near perfect three way split?


    As Genghis has just alluded to in Dagblog's banner line the site's wall to wall coverage on Romney, I should suggest the thought here that all of the above really might have more significance to, especially when you take out 15 or 20 percent allocated to Paul and outliers, how a path is created for Romney than to anything else.  


    Via Bob Cesca and ThinkProgress, Herman Cain on Press the Meet:

    CAIN: There is a huge amount of public support for 999. Just talk to anybody. This is what’s going to help us get it passed. The public support.

    GREGORY: I just want to break that down. So you’re acknowledging this morning, which I haven’t heard you do before, that there are individuals who are going to pay more in taxes.

    CAIN: There are some, yes.

    GREGORY: And you think those people are going to rally around tax reform where the wealthy pay less and middle-class and lower-income folks pay more.

    CAIN: Yes.


    Thanks, Donal.

    It's hard to know what to make of it. Stupidity would be one conclusion. The other is that the bottom half is being vilified as a form of offense on Obama's tax increases. So the bottom half paying more taxes is just fine.

    It has also come out that Cain has close ties to the Koch bros. through the pac Americans for Prosperity and has spent a great deal of time as a motivational speaker. I think it's possible that Cain's bounce might have been related to the databases that the Koch bros. have.